Best place for beer equipment/supplies

[NadoHawk]

So I'm ready to move on to a 5-gallon setup, but several local homebrew stores in my area have priced their equipment to the point of the hobby being out of my budget (not that homebrewing is meant to be cheap, but they're just flatout price-gouging like 60 dollars for a fermentor and 500 dollars for a beer kit I can find for less than half online), but I have been well perplexed on where to shop online given everything that looks to be a great deal is ruined by paying half the cost in shipping alone.

I have looked at MoreBeer, but what I have noticed is a lot of their inventory seems to be cheap knockoffs and really does not have much variety (like they are just buying the items that will save them the most money)...does anyone know if their equipment is comparable to other homebrew sites? I was really turned off by them not having the Fermtech auto-siphon or Better Bottles.

Also I have looked at Austin Homebrew when I was thinking of getting a 6.5 glass carboy for added headspace (best shipping prices I have found for it and I could build my own kit), but I have read online they have the highest prices for kits and when I did price out the kits, the prices were starting to get quite up there without adding in many of the extras found in similar kits like Brewers Best.

I've looked at the usual like Northern Brewer and Midwest Supplies, but their shipping was not exactly reasonable.

 

[brewkinger]

Brewmasters warehouse would be worth a look.

Shipping is pretty reasonable.

 

[CliffMongoloid]

Well if you can take your time and make you're own kit use www.homebrewfinds.com they post great deals

Also If you can find it Midwest has a groupon one i year i believe for a beginners kit for around $70 (dont quote me on that) that comes with a ingredient kit and a gift certificate for 25 bucks, great deal plus if you don't have groupon once you sign up they give you 15 bucks off your first one

 

[Jeremy_N]

This stuff is expensive. haha

I have bought from northern brewer, midwest and morebeer. I believe I got a wort chiller, buckets and maybe carboys and some other miscellaneous stuff from morebeer. I have had no issues with that stuff so far (4 months). They had the cheapest shipping and better prices.

I did not buy a kit, I put a list together of the things I wanted and locked for the best online deals from different sites. I bough little to no equipment from the LHBS because they weren't in the ballpark on the equipment.

I would not recommend getting a kit, because you might end up with some items that you will subsequently replace. I spent a month researching reviews and prices before I bought anything.

I also had my dad (homebrewer for 10+ years) to advise me.

I suggest you find someone that knows their stuff and ask them before you buy anything. Or you can post on HBT before you buy and I am sure you will get responses and good advice.

Or even, send us a link to a kit and we'll tell you our thoughts on it.

 

[Gdog]

I purchased morebeer's kit #2 when I started out. I really like it and it seems to be the most complete kit for the money. It Includes a hydrometer and jar, also a wine thief, a thermometer and a couple mesh bags. Some other companies kits (comparable in price ) don't include these. I actually like their fermenters (vintage shop brand) better than the better bottles because they are smooth sided and seem easier to clean out. The free shipping is great too but it does take about a week before it even ships out. One thing I noticed when buying equipment kits is many places try to sell you a secondary 5 gallon fermenter for which really isn't a necessity when starting out but just adds to the price. Overall , I think morebeer's kit with free shipping is a great deal and I would highly reccomend it.

 

[grem135]

Glass carboys are HEAVY and therefore shipping is expensive. I use 6.5 gallon buckets as do many brewers here.


Bells general store
Northern brewer
austin homebrew

 

[brewkinger]

+1 to the buckets

I bought deluxe starter kit from northern brewer with glass carboys.

I brewed today and used 6.5 gallon bucket for the first time and am going to get a couple more buckets.
I will keep the glass for secondary additions and hopping only.
The bucket is just so much easier and safer to handle.
Well worth the $12!

 

[rkorn74]

Northern Brewer, Williams, and Midwest are favorites of mine. Find one close to you when ordering liquid yeast in the summer.

 

[NadoHawk]

On liquid, White Labs is in town, so I will buy locally to ensure optimum freshness regardless of cost (it's a couple dollars less at some distant online stores)...my favorite LHBS pick it up themselves in a cooler.

I heard buckets were much easier to have an infection (how valid is this concern?)...I was thinking of just using them for the occasional Coopers kit.

On the secondary, I'm going all-grain for IPAs and I feel a secondary would be necessary...that's where I don't really want to budge on the whole glass thing.

 

[rkorn74]

I've been brewing since last year and have not gad an infection yet. I use plastic buckets to ferment and love the ease of cleaning. I also have a glass carboy but have yet to use it. If you are looking at a secondary for dry hopping, you may want to consider doing so in the keg with bagged hops.

 

[billpaustin]

I've had good luck with Midwest. They missed an item on my last order, and I called them up. Got a nice person on the phone, and within minutes they sent me the missing part.

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

If you really want to save, buy a 5 gal food grade bucket with lid for $6 at Home Depot and make 4 gal batches.

 

[whiskeyjack]

Ive bought primarily from NB, midwest, and ahs. Just try to think ahead on what you will need and what you will outgrow, hard to do though. I went with a midwest kit a few years back and the only thing I dont use out of it is the carboy, I am afraid of glass lol. Prices may have changed but at the time midwedt had the best deal by far.

As far as really good advice I can give is get all your electronic equipment off amazon/ebay... You can generally get it half off. For instance refractometers are 25 on amazon

 

[grem135]

I heard buckets were much easier to have an infection (how valid is this concern?)...I was thinking of just using them for the occasional Coopers kit.

On the secondary, I'm going all-grain for IPAs and I feel a secondary would be necessary...that's where I don't really want to budge on the whole glass thing.

Unless you abuse your buckets you will not have any problems. Just clean with a dish towel or sponge and your good. I have read that some in here have buckets years old and no troubles. Also research dry hopping and you will find a large amount of brewers here just dry hop in their primary. Save money and forget the glass. My glass carboy has sat in its box for almost a year now.

 

[Schumed]

CRAIGSLIST is your friend if you are patient......also spring is here...which means garage sale season....I find brewing equipment almost every time I go out to garage sales....

Be creative too...check out the DIY section to get inspired...

I pretty much built and bought my entire system